So you have written your CV, trawled through job adverts and have now been invited to attend an interview, great! But in a climate where competition for jobs is increasing, how can you make sure you stand out at a job interview? Here are four of the most important things to consider when preparing for a job interview.
1. Do your research
It goes without saying but doing your research is perhaps the most important tip when preparing for a job interview, turning up uninformed will turn interviews off quicker than you can imagine! Find out key information about the company and the position they will be interviewing you for. When you understand how the company operates and what the role will entail, you will find it much easier demonstrating to the interviewer that your skillset will benefit the company - after all you are there to solve a problem. Use the company website and social media channels to learn about the structure and company culture; quoting from these in the interview will prove that you have done your homework.
2. Revise your career history
The bulk of the interview usually features a series of questions about previous employment, career achievements and involvement in certain projects. Familiarise yourself with your CV as the interviewer will likely have prepared questions based on what you have written. It helps to write down some key points about your career highlights so you do not get caught out when asked about them - it can appear unprofessional if you fail to go into depth about a point noted on your CV.
3. Know what to wear
First impressions seriously matter. It is often assumed that an interviewer makes up their mind whether they want to hire you within the first 10 seconds of an interview. It is important to dress appropriately and remain professional when first meeting your potential employer - but don't forget to be yourself too, your personality is what they will remember most. You can rarely go wrong with office attire but if you are interviewing on a construction site for a job as a Site Engineer for example, a suit may give off the impression that you are not familiar with the environment you may be working in.
4. Prepare questions
Displaying an interest to learn more about your potential employer via appropriate questioning is certainly a popular move in an interview. Asking questions is not only a good way to show interest but vital to assess whether the company/role is right for you as well. Keep a mental note of any questions you want to ask particularly information about salary, location, responsibilities, management structure etc. If you have multiple job offers to consider, you want to make sure you have asked questions to have enough information to make an informed decision.